Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.

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Lagenaria siceraria

Photo: Doris Robertson
Bulalima-Mangwe District.

Lagenaria siceraria

Photo: Doris Robertson
Bulalima-Mangwe District.

Lagenaria siceraria

Photo: Doris Robertson
Bulalima-Mangwe District.

Lagenaria siceraria

Photo: Doris Robertson
Bulalima-Mangwe District.

Lagenaria siceraria

Photo: Doris Robertson
Bulalima-Mangwe District.

Lagenaria siceraria

Photo: Doris Robertson
Bulalima-Mangwe District.

Lagenaria siceraria

Photo: Doris Robertson
Bulalima-Mangwe District.

Lagenaria siceraria

Photo: Doris Robertson
Bulalima-Mangwe District.

Lagenaria siceraria

Photo: Doris Robertson
Bulalima-Mangwe District.

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Cucurbita siceraria Molina
Common names: Bottle gourd (English) Calabash (English)
Frequency:
Status: Possibly introduced
Description:
Robust, annual scrambler or climber with long sprawling stems and bifid tendrils. Large white male flowers open during late afternoon. Similar, large white female flowers open later, during the early evening. A pair of small, lateral glands just above the petiole on the underside of the leaves.
Type location:
Chile
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat: Widely cultivated for its gourds but sometimes apparently wild by streams or roadsides.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Origins unknown but now pantropical.
FZ divisions: N
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Literature:

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 36.

Jeffrey, C. (1978). Cucurbitaceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Page 440.

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 38.

Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 91.

Reekmans, M. (1983). Cucurbitaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume II Page 458. (Includes a picture).

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 53.


Other sources of information about Lagenaria siceraria:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Lagenaria siceraria
Flora of Burundi: Lagenaria siceraria
Flora of the DRC: Lagenaria siceraria
Flora of Mozambique: Lagenaria siceraria
Flora of Rwanda: Lagenaria siceraria
Flora of Zambia: Lagenaria siceraria
Flora of Zimbabwe: Lagenaria siceraria
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Lagenaria siceraria

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Lagenaria siceraria
African Plant Database: Lagenaria siceraria
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Lagenaria siceraria
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Lagenaria siceraria
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Lagenaria siceraria
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Lagenaria siceraria
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Lagenaria siceraria
JSTOR Plant Science: Lagenaria siceraria
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Lagenaria siceraria
Plants of the World Online: Lagenaria siceraria
Tropicos: Lagenaria siceraria
Wikipedia: Lagenaria siceraria


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-25

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2025). Flora of Malawi: Species information: Lagenaria siceraria.
https://www.malawiflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=157380, retrieved 20 July 2025

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